Life raft or float



4 Sheets-Sheet Vl June 28, 1949. J. l.. JUSTICE LIFE RAFT 0R FLOAT Filed June 8, 1944 a n a u n n c a 1 o o a n u n o o u n 1 o o o J. L.' JUSTICE.

LIFE RAFT OR FLOAT June 28, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

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June 28, 1949. J. 1 JUSTICE LIFE RAFT OR FLOAT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 8, 1944 INVENTOR. faire Z ,cfwzce June 28, 1949. J. L. JUSTICEA 2,474,479

LIFE RAFT OR FLOAT Filed June 8, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Jew ..Jwfzce Patented June 28, 1949 LIFE RAFT OR FLOAT Jesse L. Justice, Huntington Park, Calif., assignor to L. A. Young Spring & Wire Corporation, De-

troit, Mich.

Application J une 8, 1944, Serial No. 539,251

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a life raft or fioat which comprises a buoyant body having sealed water-tight compartments for the storage of water, food or equipment.

Second, to provide a structure of this character in which these compartments are provided with closures on both horizontal sides thereof so that they are accessible with the raft body either side up.

Third, to provide a lift raft or float in which the body portion is formed of metal and comprises a plurality of independent water-tight compartments providing a large degree of buoyancy in proportion to the size of the structure and substantial buoyancy even though several of the compartments may be punctured as by machine gun re.

Fourth, to provide a life raft having these advantages which is very strong and rigid and capable of withstanding the shocks incident to use, such as dropping the raft a considerable distance as from a vessel.

Fifth, to provide a structure of this character in which there are no protuberances or projections likely to injure the occupants or to be broken off in use or handling.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of the invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a commercial embodiment of the invention, certain parts being partially in horizontal section and certain parts being shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation with the deck suspended.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with one of the cross members partially open.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line lll-4 of Fig. 3 showing structural details.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation view showing details of the deck suspending neck.'

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section illustrating certain steps of manufacture.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in horizontal section illustrating details of the means for attaching the deckv suspending means to the iioatbody.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View partially in horizontal section illustrating a modified form or em- 10 Claims. (Cl. 9--11) bodiment of my invention in which the oat body is of elliptical shape having rounded ends as distinguished from the polygonal shape shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary View of one of the metal body sections of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the nesting of a plurality of rafts.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, the raft or float body is octagonal in shape while that shown in Fig. 8 is of elliptical shape. Each shape has certain advantages in structure and manufacture which will be brought out in the description.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7 comprises side members I, I, end members `2, 2 and corner members 3. Each body member is formed of a plurality of tubular sheet metal or pipe sections 4 and 5, the sections being brought end to end rand Welded to each other and to the transverse partition elements `6, the

weld being indicated at 1, Fig. 3. These trans- Verse partition members 6 constitute reinforcing members and bulkheads. It will be noted that the side and end corner members have mitered ends which are likewise welded together and welded to the flat partition members 8 which constitute reinforcing members and bulkheads. The rframe-like body is thus essentially tubular in cross section and is provided with a plurality of spaced bulkheads which result in a plurality of water-tight compartments.

Each compartment is preferably provided with a pipe fitting 9 welded at I0 with the outer end of the fitting substantially flush or projecting but little from the surface of the body as shown in Fig. 4. These fittings have removable plugs Ii which may be removed for testing each compartment and also for the internal coating of the compartment with a rustproof coating or finish. As shown in Fig. 3, the sections 5 are essentially the same as the sections 4 except that the sections 5 have openings I2 preferably in both horizontal sides thereof, the openings receiving the cupped closure housings I3, the outer edges of which are welded as at I 4 to the edges of the opening I2 forming a shield and rigid joint at this point. l

The closure I5 which is provided with a suitable gasket is mounted on a suitable arm i6 pivoted at` I'IV on the ear I8 and detachably secured as by means of the pin I9 to the opposed ears '26.

ingly engaging within the end/of one sectionand the adjoining end of an adjacent section, the adjacent edges of the sections being welded to each other and to the flanges of said bulkheads, lthe side and end corner body members having mitered joints, and fiat bulkheads disposed at such mitered joints, the adjacent edges of the body memu bers at said mitered joints being welded to each other and to said last named bulkheads, such assembly providing a plurality of water-tight compartments.

2. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body comprising side and end corner body members, each body member comprising a plurality of tubular sheet metal sections disposed end to end, bulkheads between the sections, the bulkheads having a flange telescopingly engaging within the end of one section and the adjoining end of an adjacent section, the adjacent edges of the sections being welded to each other and to the anges of said bulkheads, the side and end corner body members having mitered joints, and bulkheads disposed at such mitered joints, the adjacent edges of the body members at said mitered joints being welded to each other and to said last named bulkheads, such assembly providing a plurality of water-tight compartments.

3. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body comprising a plurality of tubular metal sections disposed end to end, bulkheads at the joints of the sections, the adjacent edges of the sections being welded to each other and to said bulkheads, the bulkheads providing a plurality of water-tight compartments, a decking provided with a suspending net, attaching rings for said net, and horizontally disposed elongated clips welded at their opposite ends to said sections, said clips providing vertically disposed openings for receiving said rings, said net including a cable member disposed along the top edge o the net and extending horizontally through said rings.

4. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body comprising a plurality of tubular metal sections disposed end to end, bulkheads between the sections, the adjacent edges of the sections being connected to each other and to said bulkheads, the bulkheads providing a plurality of water-tight compartments, and a rustproof covering for said body, said covering comprising successively from said body outwardly, a coat of rust resisting paint, a coat of lacquer, a coat of rubber cement and a wrapping of canvas, said canvas being wrapped spirally longitudinally of the body and across the abutting ends of the tubular metal sections of the body.

5. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body comprising side members and corner members, said side members including a plurality of tubular metal sections disposed end to end, and bulkheads between the sections, the adjacent edges of the sections being connected to each other and to said bulkheads, the bulkheads providing a plurality of water-tight compartments, said corner members being formed of upper and lower opposed trough-like metal stampings having flanges along the adjacent edges thereof, horizontal plate-like members disposed between said flanges and connected thereto providing reinforcing members and bulkheads, said corner members telescopingly engaging Within the adjoining open ends of the tubular sections of the side members and constituting bulkheads for the last named tubular sections.

6. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body comprising a plurality 6 of tubular sheet metal sections disposed end to end and joined by welded joints and having sheet metal transverse members at the joints welded at the joints and constituting reinforcing members and bulkheads providing a plurality of water-tight compartments, a decking provided with a suspending net, attaching rings for said suspending net, and horizontally disposed yelongated clips welded at their opposite ends to said sections, said clips providing vertically disposed openings for receiving said rings, said net including a cable member disposed along the top edge of the net and extending horizontally through said rings.

'7. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body comprising side members and corner members, said side members including a plurality of tubular sections disposed end to end and joined by welded joints and having sheet metal transverse members at the joints and constituting reinforcing members and bulkheads providing a plurality of water-tight compartments, said corner members being formed of upper and lower opposed trough-like metal stampings having flanges along the adjacent edges thereof, horizontal plate-like members disposed between said flanges and connected thereto providing reinforcing members and bulkheads, said corner members telescopingly engaging within the adjoining open ends of the tubular sections of the side members and constituting bulkheads for the last named tubular sections.

8. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body of tubular section formed of metal, a plurality of spaced bulkheads within said body providing a plurality of watertight compartments, said bulkheads constituting reinforcing elements for said body, and a rustprooi covering for said body, said covering comprising successively from said body outwardly, a coat of rust resisting paint, a coat of lacquer, a coat oi rubber cement and a wrapping of canvas.

9. In a life raft or float, the combination of a frame-like buoyant body, a deck, and a suspending net for said deck comprising a plurality of strands, each strand being alternately secured to adjacent strands to provide an open mesh by double ring wire clips, the rings of the clips being substantially spaced and being connected at one end by a bightlike cross portion which maintains the rings in spaced relation.

10. In a life raft or float, the combination of an elongated frame-like buoyant body of tubular section comprising side, end and corner members, the side members comprising a plurality of bucket-like metal sections, the closed end of one section being disposed within the open end of the adjacent section, the sections being welded together at the joints thereof, the closed end portions of the sections constituting reinforcing members and bulkheads, the corner members being formed of opposed trough-like metal stampings having out-turned flanges at the edges thereof, longitudinal members disposed between such flanged edges and welded thereto providing reinforcing members and bulkheads, and annular end members disposed between and welded to the adjacent ends of said corner members, the opposite ends of the corner members being welded to adjacent sections of the side members, the ends of the corner` members constituting abutment members, the several parts coacting toprovide a plurality of water-tight compartments.

JESSE L. JUSTICE. (References on following page) 

